The Dark Side
by Raisin Bread
Summary: Viara is only a Youngling when she is shipped to a lab as a lab rat and is accidently turned to the darkside and escapes now the race is on to find her but with only a few friends to help her can she ever become what she always wanted to be a Jedi Knight
1. New levels

Ahsoka Tano eyes never left the Youngling, her eyes hardly blinked as she focused on the human girl. She was one of the oldest Younglings and she would soon be made into a Padawan. A brilliant blue light cut and twirled across the thin air around the girl as she spun around and around in complex patterns. Even blindfolded, the girl could locate the ball that was used for training the Younglings. The sphere was covered with tiny holes that would spout out harmless, yet still painful, little lasers in seemingly random flashes of light.

Three walls of the small training room were made of thick glass windows that showed the setting sun outside and the room grew darker making it more difficult for Ahsoka to see the girl but, her seeing couldn't compare with the spreading darkness into the room. She could see the blue light saber as it reflected the lasers and it illuminated her face like lighting as the lasers bounced off the saber.

Even through the darkness Ahsoka was sure she hadn't mastered the strategies the girl was using until she had been a Padawan for a while yet, here this girl was spinning in the complex patterns it had taken her twice as long to master and smiling as she did it as if it was the easiest thing she had done.

"What are you doing Snips?" Anakin's voice broke into her concentration still using the nickname he had given her when she had been his Padawan.

She had been made a full Jedi more than a year ago and hadn't seen much of her former master since then, in fact the last time she had seen him had been months ago. She casually got up from her seat and turned around to face Anakin. It was good to see him again and in the middle of her thoughts she remembered his question. "Watching." She said shrugging.

Anakin turned to his attention to the light that was illuminating the girls face and whirling around her. "Is that Viara?" He asked not taking his eyes off the flashing light.

"Viara? Oh maybe, whoever she is she's the best Youngling I've ever seen." Ahsoka said to Anakin's back as he sat down still intrigued.

"Yeah, I heard about her, they had to make new levels for her." He said though he wasn't exactly talking to Ahsoka or at least it didn't seem like it.

She nodded even though she knew he wasn't looking at her and wouldn't see it. Yoda stood up and the sphere immediately jumped into his hand.

Viara heard the noise of it flying to him and quietly clicked her Light Saber closed. She pushed the handle into her belt. With her hands free she reached behind her head and untied the blindfold. Once she was able to see she walked over to Yoda and thanked him before walking to the exit.

"Master Anakin." She said dipping her head to him and then to turned to Ahsoka "Master Ahsoka." She did the same to her.

With the formalities over she swiftly walked away back to the Younglings quarters. Ahsoka watched her go.

***

Viara entered into the Youngling quarters and turned into her bunk, next to a window. When she had first arrived here she had made sure she had gotten a bed near the window. Being able to see out the window made her feel less trapped, sure, this was the best place to be that she could think of but, she was still stuck here. At least until she became a Padawan and that would happen very soon.

Era was still awake, her green face seemed to glow, even when it was dark. Era's was leaning against the wall looking up at the ceiling. Her dark eyes were unblinking, anyone else it would have been impossible to see their eyes but Era's green glow, which was because of the moonlight, made it easy to notice her eyes. It was obvious she was worried the force inside Viara shivered as she neared her best friend. As she neared her bed next to Era, the other girl's dark eyes flicked over to Viara. "I'd tell you I'm worried but, you already know that don't you?" Erin sighed.

Viara smiled even when she was upset Era still found some way to make light of it. "Yeah but, I don't understand why. The force seemed fine all day." She said simply.

"It's the not the force." Era whispered. "it's you. Every time you come near everything unbalances. It didn't used to be like that it is recent." Era seemed like she was about to cry.

Viara knew Era was worried about her but there was nothing she could do to comfort her friend. Once Era had this feeling there was nothing anyone could do to calm her down and worse there was reason to be worried the feeling always came before something bad happened.

Viara bit down on her lip, if the feeling came around with her, she needed to be careful. Era was still watching her making her feel as though she was just adding to Era's worries. She quickly corrected herself and sat down on her bed. "Let's go to sleep." She suggested trying to get both their minds off the Era's ability to know these things.

"You're nervous." Era said a note of guilt in her voice.

Viara cursed under her breath, she hadn't wanted Era to know but, there was nothing she could do now. "Yeah but, there's nothing we can do right now." With that she slipped under the covers and pressed the pillow over her head as she always did and promptly fell asleep.

Era was still up, her heart was beating and she felt lucky Viara hadn't noticed it. She could hear her friends turns as Viara tried to get comfortable in her sleep by the way she was tossing it sounded like she was awake but Era knew her too well to think that. She couldn't sleep but, she didn't want to let Viara know, it would make her guilty.

She wondered if she should tell master Yoda about it at least he would know what to do, she hopped. Carefully she unfurled the covers and stepped out of her bed onto the cold wood floor. She quickly, eyes never leaving the sleeping Viara reached for her sandals and slipped them on but the still _squeaked _ a little as she ran her feet into them while they were still on the ground.

Eras feet made a small patter as she tip-toed out of the room looking back to Viara, if anyone woke it would be her friend, the girl was much too light a sleeper to be taking this chance but, she needed to talk to Yoda.

She placed one glowing green foot after the other barely daring to breathe in case one of the other Younglings was awake as she passed the various beds. After what seemed like an eternity of not breathing and tip-toeing around the beds she reached the door. It was closed but, not locked. She gently pulled it open and to her horror it let out a long squeaky-hinge sound before it was wide enough for her to slip through.

She pocked her head out the door and peered around her dark eyes flicking from one shadow to the next as she searched for any of the Clones. She was in no mood and too much of a hurry to explain where she was going. It would take much too long plus they would go with her and march behind her like she was their prisoner not to mention wake up the whole building. It was defiantly something she wanted to avoid at all costs.

Once she was sure there were no Clones lurking in the shadows she carefully stepped out into the hallway and pulled the still-squeaking door behind her cursing under her breath. Not a moment after the door was behind her she could hear the loud stomps of the Clones coming nearer. Usually she would have been angry with their loud marching, they could never be quiet but, today she was glad at least it gave her a chance to find somewhere to hide.

She darted ahead until she came to a small corner behind a door where she could hide and hopefully not be seen. She jumped behind it sandals making a loud crashing sound as they touched the ground.

She could hear the Clones coming closer the rhythmic marching echoing annoyingly around her. As she saw the tip of the first Clone's helmet pass through the door she held her breath, not daring to breathe in case one of the Clones heard her.

As the last Clone passed through door she still didn't dare to breath and was frozen stiff with the fear of getting caught sneaking around. She was old enough to know better, like Viara she was about to be made into a Padawan and didn't want to get into any trouble, before then.

She watched the backs of the Clones disappear behind a turn, the other way than she would be going to her delight.

As soon as her heart was back at a similarly normal heart rate she hurriedly jumped out her hiding spot as rushed down the quiet and now deserted hallway.

She jumped at every little noise even though it was too quiet to be a Clone, she didn't want _anyone _catching her Clone or other wise and kept herself alert in every sense. Her heart, no matter what she did kept speeding up at every creak her feet made in the floor.

She finally reached Yoda's room. She could tell through the force Yoda wasn't sleeping, in fact she was sure he was wide awake and, waiting for her. She gently knocked on the door and though she was expecting him to know she was there but jumped when Yoda's voice came from behind the door before she had stopped knocking. "Come in will you." His raspy and almost childish voice said solemnly.

She pushed the door open with one hand and entered the candle-lit room. She looked around for Yoda and when she saw her green hands were glowing in the dimly light she pulled them into her sleeves, she didn't like it when she glowed it made her too self-conscious even though no one cared.

"Master Yoda…" She called into the darkness uneasily.


	2. Of Different Sorts

Viara woke up to the underside of pillow. She shivered and lifted her head up letting the pillow drop back down onto the bed. She groggily looked down at her feet; she hardly remembered throwing the covers off herself when she had exhausted all the cool-spots in the bed. She reached down for the covers that were barely holding on to the foot of her bed and pulled them up over herself. As soon as she was comfortable, pillow positioned over her head and sharp _ding _sounded out around her.

She jumped out of bed and immediately started throwing the covers over her bed and straightening it out trying to make it look likes he had spent more than a few seconds making it. As soon as her pillow was put on top the thrown-together bed she pulled her hair behind her head and clipped with loose hair cupping around her head and the hair too short to be put into it hung down around her face. She turned quickly to stand next to her bed and noticed her Mirialan friend still dead asleep in the bunk next to her. Era's skin was an unusually bright green for even the Mirialan race and it didn't make it difficult to know she was still in bed. Era never slept this late, she left late to Viara.

Viara groaned, and shook her friend. Era's hand flew up slapping her in the face but, she didn't stop shaking the almost-awake girl. "Let me sleep until the bell!" Era murmured half dazed.

"The final one rang two minutes ago!" Viara shouted aware that it was only the two of them who were still in the quarters.

Era's eyes flung open and she jumped out of the bed letting the sheets roll back into place. "We gotta go!" She yelled as soon as she was awake and easily held out her hand, palm first, using the force to make her bed. Viara rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and growled at herself for not thinking of that. She had barely a minute to scold herself when Era grabbed her hand and took off sprinting out the door, Viara stumbling behind until she managed to gain her feet and keep up the break-neck pace.

Era was turning corners faster than Viara could blink and she didn't know this route, it was obviously a shortcut only Era knew. Viara was too busy trying to memorize the route when Era took an unexpected right turn and she hardly had her arms up before she crashed in the wall. Era didn't slow down, she just dragged the fumbling Viara behind her and paying no attention as her company crashed into the opposite wall. They were in so much trouble.

Finally they reached the Meal Hall both hopping they could sneak in unnoticed. As the doors slid open as the motion detectors sensed the two girls all the eyes inside the room were on them and a sinking feeling stole into both of them as the realization of they-were-dead sunk in.

They noticed that no one had been fed yet; the Younglings had been forced to wait for them. Viara gave a guilty smile to their onlookers while they walked to the two open seats next to each other. As they sat down they tried to shrink down by sliding down in their chairs yet the angry glares found them.

They were only fourteen each, which was way young to be almost-Padawans but they had excelled in their training so they would be Padawans soon, that itself, had brought many jealous peers but along with being late today, they were downright hated.

When the food was served and everyone was greedily digging even the two troublemakers, as the others thought of them, Yoda did his half-leaning on his cane walk into the room. The noise from the Younglings who had been enjoying the meal and gossiping stopped. Everyone chewed slowly and quietly as Master Yoda walked in.

"Good Morning Master Yoda." The Younglings chimed at the same time, usually Era and Viara would have tried to be a little later than all the others but being the ones who had caused the lecture they knew would follow his entrance they kept quiet, staring into their food.

As soon as Yoda walked in he knew the very seats that the two late Younglings would be sitting at the table. His eyes rested on the two friends and seeing Era was one of them he decided to hold back his lecture, the same one he always used. It was becoming tiresome anyway. He simply scanned over the Younglings.

"Morning Students." He said in his high and raspy voice.

He then turned around and walked off his two accompanying Clones walked after him, pausing to look at each other with surprise as Yoda's sudden change in mind.

Realizing they had been holding their breaths they let out a sigh of relief and like the rest of the children, dug back into the food.

A few muffled growls and huffs could be heard around the table as the more jealous Younglings became upset at not getting to watch the two girls get a lecture and possibly in trouble for being late but, now that that had been ruined they went back to eating the now seemingly tasteless food bitterly. No one spoke for the rest of the meal, even Era and Viara, usually the most talkative and loud at the meals were silent.

Viara watched Era through mouthfuls, she was barely even eating her food, her eyes looked through the plate and it was obvious she was deep in thought. Viara was seriously considering breaking the nerve-racking silence but didn't want to disrupt her friend. Era was always grumpy when she was brought out of her deep thinking.

The more Viara watched the more worried she became. This state of mind Era went into now and again usually lasted only a few seconds, a minute longest, yet here she was completely out of everything.

When breakfast was over the children flocked out into the training room but, not for training. Today was the one day of the year when the parents of the Younglings came in to see their children and watch them train. It was also the day Viara hated the most. Like the last seven years, she didn't expect her parents to be here, they never were. They had refused to let her be a Jedi when the Council had come to take her to be a Youngling when she had been only nine years old. When they had showed up and said what she could be she had been so excited. Her life on Tatooine had been the same day in and day out and the chance to be a knight was too much for her. That night she had a run away and tracked them, she didn't know how she tracked them she just knew where they were and she had just went there. They had welcomed her and within an hour they were at the Jedi Temple her home from then on.

The one draw-back, the one day that was miserable here was all because her parents could accept who she was and what she was meant to be. So here she was as the children and parents raced about to find each other, squished against a wall and alone.

Era's parents had always showed up and being alone now she knew she had went to find them. At first she would invite Viara to join her family for the day but, she hadn't wanted to be so needy that she needed someone else's parents to be with her. Era had respected this but not easily; Viara's pride was just too strong.

Viara was alone in her mind, imagining when she would be a Padawan and be away from the Temple and the parents. She would be happy to leave, as happy as she had been to leave Tatooine. Then a thought hit her with heart-breaking speed. Once she left, would she and Era ever even see each other again? Well they would see each other again of course but, how long would they be separated from each other each time? Era had been with her since she had come to the Temple alone and unwanted by everyone she had known before. Era had already been here for months and they had instantaneously become friends. What would happen when they were separated? She shook her head to try to rid the thought but as the attempt usually turned out it didn't work. Just that one second she had thought about it had made her feel like she was choking like there was no air the thought burning through everything.

Just as it was taking its deathly hold her eyes buzzed up, she could feel someone coming. She picked up her head from looking at the ground and straightened her back. She writhed with excitement and hoped desperately that her parents had come this time, just this one time. They hadn't. As her eyes focused on the people coming towards her and her heart sunk as she saw the much too familiar family. Era was with them, well, of course she was they were her parents. She smiled politely at the family and wondered bitterly why they couldn't stop these stupid attempts at trying to make her a part of their family. Every attempt failed yet they kept trying. Viara didn't think it was fair for them, after all she wasn't even a part of their race and apparently she didn't do well in families.

Era's mother smiled warmly as they neared her. Era's mother wasn't like her own mother try as she had it was impossible not to like the kind lady so she had eventually given in to the attempt that had set her up for failure. Era's family was just so perfect in Viara's opinion but all the families that had actually _come _to the temple were perfect, unlike her own.

As Era came into view she noticed the geometric tattoo on her forehead. Numerous triangles formed on big triangle like a widow's peak down to the center between her eyes. The strange tattoos were a Mirialan way of showing an achievement and now Era had one. It showed how proud her parents were of her and Viara was upset as it reminded her that her parents hated the same thing that Era's parents were so proud of her for.

"Hello Viara." The gentle female voice broke into her not-so-deep thoughts.

She nodded afraid to speak in case her voice failed her and she choked, she had really been hoping that her parents would show up this year, just like she hoped every year and every year she was disappointed but, it still hurt as deeply as before.

"Era has been marked to show her achievement," Era's mother was trying to hide the pride in her voice but Viara could still feel it.

Viara kept a smile on the outside but her teeth were clenched at the jealousy for her best friend and she longed to call out _I am sure she has been, _as angrily as she could but she managed to hold back not even letting out the sigh that had built up within her. "We'd like you to have one too." Viara jumped, she wasn't Mirialan and she wondered if they could even do that.

"No," She said the sigh coming out, she really did want to be marked but, it wouldn't be fair.

"Please," Era's mother pleaded "it only accepts a special type of skin and we think you have it. It would be a great honor for our family and the Mirialans.

Viara gritted her teeth. The guilt card. She hated when the family, the perfect family, played that one on her. It wasn't so much as the guiltiness that she hated it was that it always worked and they knew it. She sighed, this time was no different, it worked on her, just like every time and she had a shrug of defeat. A gesture the family knew too well.

Era beamed in happiness and her mother and father smiled too. "Hold out your hands." Era's mother instructed.

Viara held out both of her hands to Era's mother. She took Viara's hands in hers and pulled them closer before letting them go. She reached into a small purse next at her waist and pulled out a small ornamental and beautifully decorated little bottle. She tipped the bottle out and a black ink spilled out onto Viara's hands.

She watched mesmerized as the ink globed on to her hands and swelled up before jumping back into the bottle. She admired her hands; each one had a symmetrical pattern made entirely out of squares. The pattern started an few inches thick at the back of her wrist and as it reached mid-back of her hand then split up two different ways stretching out a little bit before ending in a sharp and perfectly straight side.

Viara smiled, joy filling into her heart at the beautiful Mirialan markings on the back of her hand with breathtaking beauty.


	3. Just a Feeling

Three months later Yoda and Mace Windu are on a mission involving the capture of noctorious bounty hunter Cad Bane…

Viara stood next to Era, who was stooped over a trashcan. A gurgling sound swept over the sick girl and Viara turned away as Era lost what little was left in her stomach. "Are you sure you're ok?" Viara asked her best friend doubting she was.

"Just fine, fine, fine, fine!" She growled back harshly trying to convince Viara.

Viara rolled her eyes angrily wishing her friend would just admit she was sick so they could go to the infirmery. Era stood up from the trash, "I'm fine now, and I don't feel like I'm going to throw up anymore." She said cheerfully knowing about what Viara wanted.

"Yeah, because there's nothing left in your stomach!" Viara snapped bitterly.

"I'm not sick, it's the feeling making me throw up." Era said simply immediately snapping her mouth shut and hopping Viara hadn't heard that.

She had and her face twisted in pain knowing she was the cause of this. "I should go," She hurriedly said about trying to dart away but, Era's hand shot up grabbing her arm.

"NO!" She said loudly, "no, something bad is going to happen, we need to stand together. Like you said there's nothing left in my stomach I'm fine now."

As soon as the words came out her mouth a group of five clones came around the corner. "All Jedi, Padawans and Younglings are required to gather for a council, Chancellor's orders." The front clone said unemotionless and robotic as they always sounded.

Era turned around to the garbage can but, nothing but saliva came out, the clones nonchalant as ever just watched. A growl rose in her throat, she wanted to turn around and yell at the clones for being so emotionless, sure, that's how people were supposed to be here but, how could they watch and do nothing?

"We need to hurry the meeting begins soon." The clone's voice snapped impatiently.

Viara sighed, struggling to keep herself from spinning around and sending them all flying in different directions. She sensed Era feeling her thoughts and her friend stood up groggily and motioned for the clones to lead on.

Viara put her arm around the stumbling Era trying to hold up the girl's weight, with a little help from the force.

They walked through one of the many doors onto a platform, all of the younglings were already crowed on the platform leaving Viara and crunched up agaisnt the door. A small pit had formed inside Viara's stomach as she waited for whatever would happen to her to happen. Era seemed to have recoved but, there was worry in her eyes.

The Chancellor's voice boomed out into the audience "I am glad to say that two scientists have discovered a way to make stronger more powerful Jedi," Viara noticed a small gleam in his eyes.

"And so I have decided to give them a chance to try this out on a Youngling and I have so chosen the one known as Viara."

She winced, so this was how she was going down, as a lab rat. Era's voice echoed through her thoughts "RUN!"

She never ran anywhere but, there was a first time for everything. The platform buzzed getting ready to float down. Without thinking she used the force to open the cliff hanging door. The platform was already a few feet away from the opening but she took the jump.

*

Viara's hair clip dropped out of her hair, Era watched it drop for a second then used the force to retrieve it. She squeezed the tiny hairband that may as well have been her best friend.

*

As she turned the corner she could hear the Chancellor yelling at the clones to go after her. She sped up, wishing she had her light saber that was hanging on hook next to her bed. She could hear the clones rythmic marching as she ran down hallways constantly looking behind her for the pursuing clones.

As she turned around the corner her head turned around watching where she was running from she missed the small sparkling blue wall in front of her.

An electric shock jolted through her body, her knees gave way as the shock continued. Her body twitched miserably but, she was beyond feeling the high voltage shock. A sense of numbness had overtaken her feelings and she felt like she was floating in darkness.

*

As the clones had left to pursue Viara, Era had herded the other Younglings off the platform. They had only turned the first corner she herd the marching of a troop. She held up her hand for the band to stop, all the Younglings had were with her and they quietly stopped.

A look of pure terror crossed Era's face as the clones marched by. The sight caught her off guard and she gasped but , too quiet for the clones to hear over their marching. They were dragging Viara's unmoving body behind them. She felt the others stiffen, as they saw it too.


End file.
